Never forget
by Sirenwriter
Summary: A man lies fevered and dying. As he dreams, his sees his children. What he says to them as the darkness grows nearer
1. Chapter 1

A man lies amongst a thousand other men groans, his hands twitching, his eyes open, his forehead shining with sweat. His groan goes unheard, unheeded as nurses tend to those even more serious than he. Fever twists his mind, his perceptions men come and lift him off his bed, he sees only shadows, only shapes. One of the nurses hears him gasp out "Peter! Susan! Edmund! Lucy! Helen!"; just as the doctor carefully slips a knife into his stomach. A few seconds later, the man is unconscious, dreaming of his children.

He feels softness under his hand, and looks down to see a small, sandy blonde head under it. The head moves, and he finds himself staring into the blue eyes of his eldest son. The chubby little face smiles at him, then turns and runs for his siblings nearby and as he runs, he grows taller, stronger and wider. They are all there, playing in the sand on a beach with a large castle behind it. The man laughs aloud as Peter takes a handful of water, and flings it in the general direction of his sisters.

Then, as can sometimes happen in a dream, the fevered man started to speak to his son, in a voice that was almost singing, and he was joined by a large, golden lion.

Father: Little boy

Aslan: Little King

Father: My oldest boy

Aslan: My Highest King

Father: The leader of my family

Aslan: The ruler of my Country

Together: You are so young to bear this burden

Father: So unsure

Aslan: So insecure

Father: But, I know you will triumph over every trial

Aslan: You will conquer every obstacle, even your own denial

Father: Be brave

Aslan: He is

Father: Protect them

Aslan: He did

Father: Look in his eyes, so stern, so fierce, so gentle and kind

Aslan: He's grown, in heart, body, soul, and mind

Together: You are now a king, you are leader

Aslan: But never forget

Father: to be a brother


	2. Chapter 2

The beach is interrupted by a sharp pain in the man's back, he screams, arching it. In that one, excruciating moment he sees a man, stick a knife in his back, then the darkness comes to envelope him again.

When his focus, comes back, he is standing in his bedroom. He breathes in the familiar scent of his wife, of warmth, and looks for her. Instead, he sees a small raven-headed, chubby cheeked girl wearing his wife's nightgown. She stares at herself in the mirror, then turns to face him.

"Am I boo-ful, daddy?" He studies her for a moment, ruby lipstick smeared all over her face, over the night gown, all over her hands.

"Yes dear, you are." He murmurs, then takes his handkerchief and kneels down in front of his eldest daughter. "But even more so without this." He wipes away the red, as she protests. "Now," He stated with finality, "You are beautiful." She frowns, and walks back to the mirror, grabs the lipstick, and starts again. He shakes his head and reaches out to stop her, but his hands pass right threw her. She grows up, right before his eyes, from a chubby little 3 year old to a beautiful young woman, black hair dancing behind her as she watches her siblings play in the waves. At the same time, father and daughter shake their heads and sigh. He hears a rumbling sound, and again speaks to a child who apparently can't hear him, with a beast that really shouldn't be talking.

_Father: My little girl_

_Aslan: My little queen_

_Father: So pretty_

_Aslan: So graceful_

_Father: It's a pity_

_Aslan: It's so shameful_

_Together: That's all you think there is to life_

_Father: Always the mature one_

_Aslan: Always the proud one_

_Father:Can't you see?_

_Aslan:There's more to you than beauty_

_Father: You're wise_

_Aslan: You love surprise_

_Father: Belive in what you cannot see_

_Aslan: Trust in what can never be_

_Father: Enjoy life now_

_Aslan: Don't grow to fast_

_Father: The future will come _

_Aslan: And you'll long for some_

_Together: Peace and youth_

_Father: Never forget_

_Aslan: Never forget_

_Together:To live, to love _

_Father: To believe_

The man reaches out to touch his daughter's raven hair, but she turns and walks away, leaving her brothers and sisters to their childish games.


	3. Chapter 3

The man watched his daughter walk away from her siblings, then looked down at the hand that had almost touched one of her dark tresses. He turned to the ocean waves, where the other children seemed oblivious to her departure. His dark haired son was dunking his sister. The man smiled, remembering the boy's first trip to the beach…

His oldest children were already playing in the water, while the dark hair toddler carefully examined the water, never letting it touch him.

"Eddy, why not go join your brother and sister?" The man coaxed, placing a hand on the small boy's back. "They're having so much fun!" Big, brown eyes met his in suspicion, then the boy took a tentative step in.

"Don't drink the water, Edmund!" A dark haired woman cried from the shore. Still holding tight to his father's hand, the little boy began to splash and explore in the way only a child can, gradually letting loose of the big hand, until both hands were free, and the child was knee-deep. The man stayed nearby, watching. Suddenly the Edmund screamed, and Peter and Susan came running, as did the man.

"What's wrong, Eddy?" Susan asked placing a hand on his shoulder. The boy whimpered.

"De water tastes bad!"

"Mum told you it was bad, Edmund." The man sighed in exasperation. "Why didn't you listen?" But the man already knew. He turned and watched his dark haired son, older now, play in the water. The lion again nuzzled him, purring just a little. The man smiled, and not feeling the least ridiculous started sing/talking to his youngest son.

_Father: Foolish Child_

_Aslan: Just King_

_Father: My foolish Child_

_Aslan: My Just King_

_Father: Why must you learn through experience?_

_Aslan: You have learned_

_Father: Touch, feel and taste everything?_

_Aslan: You have earned_

_Father: But, you never do repeat a mistake_

_Aslan: Your subject's love and loyalty_

A well dressed man came onto the beach.

"King Lune of Archenland wishes to speak with their majesties the kings!" He cried, bringing out cloaks for their majesties.

"Awww!" Lucy groaned, pouting just a little. Edmund glanced at his sister.

"You go Peter, they don't really need me, I'll stay here with Lucy." The girl beamed.

"But Ed…" Peter started.

"No Peter, you can fill me in later, Lucy hardly sees any of us anymore."

Both man and lion smiled.

_Both: And learned humility_

_Father: Practical Mind_

_Aslan: With a dreamer's heart_

_Father: Now so just, so kind_

_Aslan: Saw it from the start_

_Both: Not perfect, not grand, but learning and growing_

_Father: And I know you'll never forget_

_Aslan: The mercy shown to you_

"Lucy! Don't drink that water!" The brown eyed boy yelled.


	4. Chapter 4

The man laughed as his dark haired son and his brown headed daughter splashed and dunked each other. They hadn't gotten along this well in years, as far as he knew. In fact, all of his children had changed, if only just a little. But now, as he watched his youngest daughter, his little angel, he realized just how much.

_Father: My little angel_

_Aslan: My youngest queen_

_Father: My innocent Angel_

_Aslan: My Valiant queen_

_Father: So strong_

_Aslan: So young _

_Father: To everyone, you belong_

_Aslan: Your treasure goes without song_

_Aslan: So open_

_Father: So trusting_

_Together: Never grow up, never lose your inner beauty_

_Aslan: you forgive so freely_

_Father: live so happily _

_Aslan: You hold the Spirit of My land_

_Father: With those tiny little hands_

_Together: You hold this family together, forever so never forget, never forget_

The words echoed through the man's head as the beach began to fade from view. Lucy's giggles and squeals seemed to fill the air, then fade into nothingness. The last thing he felt was the lion's kiss, the smell of it's warm breath.

"You have done well, son of Adam. Your children are great in this land, and will always be remembered. And you, you will see them when they return to your own."

The man awakened in the hospital covered in blood, but free of wounds. All the doctors agreed that it was a miracle.

Mr. Pevensie often dreamed of lions after that, and when his wife commented on how changed their children were, he would merely smile and say.

"That's because they've never forgotten, dear, they've never forgetten."

A\N: Thanks to my wonderful reviewers! I couldn't have kept going without you. Don't forget to review this one, too, though! ;)


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